The disclosure of NSA data-mining with complicit internet giants should be raising some fundamental questions---dare I say raise some very red flags--- in the minds of Americans. We claim as a nation to believe in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, yet we have since 9-11 frittered away these rights to an ever growing, secret government within our government.

Numerian (at the AGONIST) makes the point that Pres Obama has at once told us he doesn't know if these allegations of wrong-doing are true, but the NSA is our snoop and therefore our rights are secretly secure just as if they were publicly secure. What a tic! He just said he didn't know of any wrong-doing. How could he also no there's no problem?

The Bush administration shut down its warrantless wiretapping program in 2007 but endorsed a new law, the Protect America Act, which allowed the wiretapping to continue with changes: The NSA generally would have to explain its techniques and targets to a secret court in Washington, but individual warrants would not be required.

Congress approved it, with Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in the midst of a campaign for president, voting against it.

"This administration also puts forward a false choice between the liberties we cherish and the security we provide," Obama said in a speech two days before that vote. "I will provide our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to track and take out the terrorists without undermining our Constitution and our freedom."